Oscar Pistorius from despair to bravado: the changing face of the Olympics star in court in photos
OSCAR Pistorius murder case: has the Paralympic runner’s demeanour changed over the last few days? Have defiance and even bravado replaced desperation? Cameras are allowed into the Pretoria courtroom. They allow the world to see snapshots of one man’s trial for the murder of his lover, Reeva Steenkamp. He shot her dead. But did he mean to? He says “no”. The State says “yes”. The defence is muddying the once clear waters. Their job seems simple: they have to make it hard for the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond any reasonable doubt:
February 14, 2013
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius leaves the Boschkop police station, east of Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 en route to appear in court charged with murder. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was taken into custody and was expected to appear in court Thursday, after a 30-year-old woman who was believed to be his girlfriend was shot dead at his home in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria.
Feb 15
Oscar Pistorius, centre, is led from the Boschkop police station east of Pretoria, en route to court, Friday Feb. 15, 2012. Oscar Pistorius arrived at a courthouse Friday, for his bail hearing in the murder case of his girlfriend as South Africans braced themselves for the latest development in a story that has stunned the country. The Paralympic superstar was earlier seen leaving a police station in a dark suit with a charcoal gray jacket covering his head as he got into a police vehicle. Model Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed at Pistorius’ upmarket home in an eastern suburb of the South African capital in the predawn hours of Thursday.
This aerial image shows the gated housing complex with the home of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius in Pretoria.
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius’s father Henke Pistorius, right, gestures to his son, left, as he leaves the witness bench after his bail application appearance at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013.
Feb 19
Olympian Oscar Pistorius stands following his bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Pistorius fired into the door of a small bathroom where his girlfriend was cowering after a shouting match on Valentine’s Day, hitting her three times, a South African prosecutor said Tuesday as he charged the sports icon with premeditated murder. The magistrate ruled that Pistorius faces the harshest bail requirements available in South African law. He did not elaborate before a break was called in the session.
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius’s father Henke Pistorius is comforted by a unidentified family member during the bail application at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Pistorius told a packed courtroom Tuesday that he shot his girlfriend to death by mistake, thinking she was a robber. The prosecutor called it premeditated murder.
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius’s brother Carl Pistorius, right, comforts sister Aimee, left, during the bail application at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, and with his father Henke Pistorius seen at top centre.
Advocate Barry Roux, left, avoids journalists as he leaves the court after representing Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius for his bail application at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.
Feb 20
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands inside the court as a police officer looks on during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. A South African judge says defense lawyers will need to offer “exceptional” reasons to convince him to grant bail for Oscar Pistorius, when a hearing resumes Wednesday.
Feb 21
Investigating officer Hilton Botha sits inside the witness box during the bail hearing for Oscar Pistorius at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority acknowledged that the timing of attempted murder charges against a police detective leading the investigation into Oscar Pistorius is “totally weird” and that he should dropped from the case against the world-famous athlete.
Prosecutors said they were unaware of the charges against veteran detective Hilton Botha when they put him on the stand in court to explain why Pistorius should not be given bail in the Valentine’s Day shooting death of his girlfriend.
Feb 22
The defense and prosecution both completed their arguments with the magistrate soon to rule if the double-amputee athlete can be freed before trial or if he must stay behind bars pending trial.
The fourth and likely final day of Oscar Pistorius’ bail hearing opened on Friday, with the magistrate then to rule if the double-amputee athlete can be freed before trial or if he has to remain in custody over the shooting death of his girlfriend.
Feb 22
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius’ uncle Arnold Pistorius speaks to journalist at the end of the bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. Pistorius was granted bail in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Lest we forget:
South African rugby player Francois Hougaard, left, arrives for the funeral of Reeva Steenkamp in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.
Posted: 22nd, February 2013 | In: Key Posts, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
